Post by Mr.HoRrOr on Jul 13, 2011 16:40:23 GMT -5
Plot:Following the Thai custom to cheat death and rid oneself of bad luck, a man who lays in a coffin for an evening subsequently experiences a series of terrifying incidents.
Cast:
Ananda Everingham
Florence Faivre
Andrew Lin
Karen Mok
Napakpapha Nakprasitte
Suchao Pongwilai
Micheal Pupart
Tassawan Seneewongse
Aki Shibuya
My Thoughts:More dramatic than expected.
Review:Ekachai Uekrongtham's "The Coffin", is a supernatural Thai horror pic, about a Thailand tradition to ward of bad luck and bring good karma and good health. The tradition tells of people who lay inside coffins as a Thai custom. They do this, for the same reason people here in America pray. To bring good fortune, to cure the sicknesses or illnesses of a loved one. Or to help with their own ailments and or issues.
In the case of one man, Chris...who partakes in this custom, he during the ritual...experiences a series of terrifying hallucinations. "The Coffin" manages to be a better shrewd and clever mystery. Moreso than a truly scary horror movie. The film really works best as a mystery. It might scare people who are not deep into the horror genre, or who don't watch horror movies often. Or people who are more used to soccer-mom horror, and aren't really highly exposed to the more edgy stuff.
But for people like me, genre fans like me..."The Coffin" is very timid scares wise. But that doesn't mean that you cannot embrace it for being the creepy mystery that it is. And one thing to appreciate about it, is that it doesn't take the same route as the usual Asian horror which relies on creepy black-haired girls popping up out of the strangest places like cookie jars, to scare the viewer. This movie is more laid back with it's attempted fright moments.
But those moments are also in the vein of the A-typical American horror films. You can sometime see when they are or might be coming. But other times, the movie manages to keep you on your toes, and catch you off guard with the aforementioned moments. The acting is pretty good too, and the characters...while Thai, seem to have a hint of Western-culture within them. Just enough to make the movie I guess viable to U.S. and or European audiences.
Thus expanding it's viewership base. I wouldn't say it's a perfect movie though. The story can get too wrapped up inside of itself sometimes. And at other times, the story can actually lose you. If you aren't paying very close attention. But at the heart of the movie, which spends most of it's time either using a ghost woman as it's antagonist, and making the "coffin" experience a very weird and strange and surreal one for the lead character Chris, as well as the viewer...is just that, heart.
The movie is less a sinister mystery, about some evil person who did some evil thing. It really is more of a love story wrapped inside of a ghost tale. The characters are dealing with the usual life issue like love, loss, mistakes they wish they could take back, fear of life changes, etc. So the movie has heart, and also has a serious side to it as well. This certainly separates the movie into a more adult category.
Away from the teens vs. slasher or teens vs ghost of dead girl haunting teenagers type of stories that a lot of Asian horror films didn't start off using, but these days have leaned more towards using for their overall story arcs. "The Coffin" is really what you would call "ADULT HORROR". It doesn't rely on immature charactrs or any shinanigans to get it's message across. The movie rolls out a strong story, very adult characters, and yet manages to simplify things by giving you a ghost, a male lead, and a female lead to focus on.
But where it can lose you sometimes is within the cinematography, and the flashback scenes. Which is more of a script issue than anything. Sometimes, scenes end abruptly as the movie switches in between time periods, the "coffin realm", and other places. But part of the fun of "The Coffin" is really trying to nail down what's happening and why. This movie is also not bloody or gory. Most Asian horror's aren't. But some are. This particular Thai horror is not bloody.
In fact, it relies more on story, dialogue, and a few base scares to work it's magic. It really tries to sidestep abusing blood, gore, and furthermore violence to make it's mark. In the end, "The Coffin" finishes up on a note which fits it's entire cinematic make up. With set pieces, and cinematography that is clear, gloomy, and at times depressing...the film concludes pretty much on the same note. Keeping with it's overall feel and tone, and most importantly story. "The Coffin" is definitely a supernatural horror film worth seeing atleast 1 time. If you're looking for something new and refreshing this summer, to watch within the horror genre.
Positives:Interesting story steeped in Thai traditions and mythology. Good directing that really captured and held a certain mood in the movie. Good acting, and an overall refreshing approach to the supernatural horror film.
Negatives:At times, the movie can be too depressing, and some of the scares can be seen coming ahead of time.
Overall:Three stars out of four.